Learning Engagement Support Officer

Durham County Council; North East; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority is seeking an innovative Learning & Engagement Support Officer to design and deliver engaging educational activities across its cultural venues. This role requires creativity, strong communication skills, and experience in cultural engagement. The successful candidate will lead workshops, develop resources, and enhance audience participation while ensuring high standards of safety and continuous improvement in educational programs. Competitive salary and benefits are offered, including hybrid working arrangements.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days

Contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working

Qualifications

• Experience in developing and delivering learning activities within cultural, heritage, or arts settings.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Knowledge of current trends and best practice in cultural learning and audience engagement.

Responsibilities

• Shape imaginative learning experiences that connect people with our venues and heritage.
• Design and deliver workshops and participatory activities for schools and community partners.
• Craft engaging learning resources and ensure safety in all learning spaces.

Skills

Experience in developing and delivering learning activities

Strong communication skills

Project management skills

Familiarity with digital learning tools

Understanding of heritage collections and performance arts

Job description

Durham County Council’s Culture, Sport and Tourism Service delivers outstanding cultural experiences across the council's culture venues and programmes. We are committed to inspiring learning and engagement for people of all ages, supporting creativity, and promoting access to culture across the county.

We’re looking for an innovative and enthusiastic Learning & Engagement Support Officer to help shape unforgettable cultural experiences across our three theatres – Gala Durham, Consett Empire and Bishop Auckland Town Hall. You will also support delivery at The Story, Killhope and Durham Town Hall so an exciting opportunity where you will design and deliver inspiring learning activities and events that bring our venues, collections and creative programmes to life.

Working collaboratively with colleagues, partners, and local businesses, you’ll lead creative engagement projects and audience development initiatives that spark curiosity, celebrate culture and art, and make a lasting impact across County Durham.

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

In this dynamic role, you’ll shape imaginative learning experiences that put theatre at the heart of how people connect with our venues, heritage, and collections. Working closely with schools, teachers, and community partners, you’ll design and deliver workshops, masterclasses, and participatory activities that open up the world of performance. You’ll craft engaging learning resources, digital materials, and behind‑scenes content that help audiences of all ages. Your creativity will also contribute to exhibitions, performances, and wider engagement projects, ensuring theatre practice informs and enriches the experience. Alongside this, you’ll uphold the highest standards of safety and care in all learning spaces, and ensure our programmes continue to evolve through thoughtful evaluation, accurate reporting, and a commitment to continual improvement.

This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real impact on cultural education and engagement across County Durham.

We encourage you to contact Dawn Layland via email at [e-mail] to arrange an informal discussion about the role.

WHAT WILL I NEED?

• Experience in developing and delivering learning activities within cultural, heritage, or arts settings.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Knowledge of current trends and best practice in cultural learning and audience engagement.
• Ability to manage projects, resources, and maintain accurate records.
• Experience working with schools and educational stakeholders.
• Familiarity with digital learning tools and online engagement platforms.
• Understanding of heritage collections and performance arts.

Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria.

If successful, you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure and have the ability to travel across the County and North East as required to deliver learning sessions, attend meetings, events, or training sessions.

INTERVIEWS

Interviews will be held week commencing 17th February 2026.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked‑after young person, care leaver or a veteran.

OUR OFFER TO YOU

We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website.

Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION

We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process. We welcome applications from disabled people and those who are or consider themselves to be neurodivergent.

HOW TO APPLY

Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website.

We welcome applications from disabled people and those who are or consider themselves to be neurodivergent. If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email [e-mail].

All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from [e-mail]. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.

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